KOCHI: Kerala is witnessing a strange phenomenon of increasing number of birds in the dry weather zones of India, flocking to it in the past five years, giving credence to the fact that the heat is rising in the region following increasing urbanisation and disappearance of wetlands and green zones.
"If there were only five species of dry weather birds visiting Kerala region some 20 years ago, it has gone up to over 30 types in the past five years," Dr Nameer P. O., head of wildlife research at the College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, told DC on Sunday.
Dr Nameer said that a team led by him is undertaking a study to pinpoint the exact reason for this. "We are taking the weather data for the past 100 years which is available with the Indian Meteorological Department and also the bird data for the past 100 years which is available from the data from eBird, an authentic website, to study the pattern and find out the reason. Now it is too early to arrive at a specific conclusion and we hope to conclude the study in six months," said Dr Nameer.
The dry weather birds that have been spotted in Kerala include Stone Chat, Greater Spotted Eagle, Desert Wheatear, Isabellian Wheatear, Grey-headed Lapwing, Bush Chat, Pea Fowl, Red Start, Steppe Eagle and the Bunting group. These are originally found in North-Western India.
"I could spot Isabellian Wheatear and Stone Chat in Nedumbassery which are usually seen in the dry zones of India," said Santhosh Kumar K V, a native of Nedumbassery and an avid bird watcher. "Kerala is witnessing increased heat this summer and there has been deficiency in summer rains also.
The sultry humid weather is giving way to dry-roasted climate as in Rajasthan or in parts of Gujarat. Rivers and other water bodies and remaining wetlands and soil are drying up," said Santhosh Kumar.
Up to 2010 Pea Fowl's presence in Kerala was limited to the leeward side of the Western Ghats, where the tracts are drier. In the five years after 2010, peafowl distribution has spread across the state.
